If you have any of the above, you could have a sleep disorder. Sleep disorders affect millions of people in this country. Each sleep disorder has its own set of factors which can interfere with daily life, worsen or even lead to other health conditions.

As a general rule, we all feel better when we’ve gotten a good night’s sleep. We can concentrate more, our memory is better and our overall job performance improves. In addition, studies have demonstrated that people who sleep well consistently have a better chance of losing weight or keeping weight off.

Some more serious health conditions can arise if you don’t get the sleep your body needs. Sleep apnea, for example, can lead to high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke, heart disease, heart attack and, in some extreme, untreated cases, death.

Having sleep disorders treated not only allow you to feel refreshed and awake during the day, but also allows you to be healthier.

Common Sleep Disorders

Sleep Apnea

People with sleep apnea do not breathe properly during sleep. This can lead to daytime sleepiness and may contribute to high blood pressure, heart failure, heart attacks and stroke. Warning signs of sleep apnea include loud snoring, excessive daytime sleepiness, gasping, pauses in breathing, irritability, depression, and forgetfulness. Learn more about sleep apnea.

Insomnia

Insomnia is an inability to fall asleep or stay asleep, either for a temporary or extended amount of time. Ten percent of the population regularly suffers from insomnia.

Narcolepsy

This condition is marked by excessive drowsiness during the day, with a tendency to sleep at inappropriate times. These patients often suffer from cataplexy, which is muscle weakness or collapse triggered by stress or strong emotions.

RLS (Restless Leg Syndrome)

RLS is described as a “creepy, crawly” sensation that occurs in the legs when patients are sitting or lying still, especially at bedtime. It is felt most often in the calves and relieved by movement. Although it occurs when a patient is awake, it can affect the ability to fall asleep and stay asleep and can result in extreme fatigue and excessive sleepiness during the day.

PLMD (Periodic Limb Movement Disorder)

These are repetitive, involuntary movements (of the leg, and occasionally the arms) that usually begin when asleep. Patients with PLMD may have difficulty falling asleep, remaining asleep, or may experience excessive daytime sleepiness.

REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep behavior disorder

All body muscles (except those used in breathing or movement of the eyes) are normally paralyzed during REM sleep. In some people, usually older men, the paralysis is incomplete or absent and allows them to violently “act out” their dreams. Acting out of dreams can potentially lead to injury of the patient or bed partner.

Both are characterized by sleeping and waking at inconvenient times. A person with ASPS will wake earlier than his or her desired clock time. DSPS, on the other hand, results in going to sleep much later than one wishes